In the treatment of dental or mouth problems there is a need for a convenient and accurate means for delivering selected amounts of powdered chemotherapeutic material, such as adhesive and microcapsules, or a fluoride salt containing powder, or other desired treatment materials, in predetermined repeated dosages to a patient's teeth, or in the form of a metered single dosage, with the ability to select the specific teeth to be treated.
Although insufflation devices for introducing medicinal powder into various body cavities are known, none of the previosly known devices provides the ability to repeatedly furnish a desired number of accurately known dosages and to direct the dosages to a patient's teeth. Furthermore, the previously known insufflation devices are relatively cumbersome, are difficult to refill, are subject to frequent clogging, and cause excessive loss and wastage of the powdered medicinal material.
A preliminary search reveals the following prior U.S. Pat. Nos. which appear to illustrate the present state of the art:
Harris,--3,998,226 PA1 Lazisky,--2,800,673 PA1 Crain et al.,--1,934,793 PA1 Kark,--2,501,279 PA1 Davis,--2,570,774